ALERT: Utah Jazz Draft DILEMMA | Edgecombe’s Hype vs. Fears’ Potential: Who WINS?

ALERT: Utah Jazz Draft DILEMMA | Edgecombe’s Hype vs. Fears’ Potential: Who WINS?

why should the Jazz not draft VJ Edgecom at five if he’s there and should they draft Jeremiah Fears if he’s there find out next on Locked on Jazz You are Locked on Jazz your daily podcast on the Utah Jazz part of the Locked On Network Your team every day Hello and welcome in to Locked on Jazz My name is Leaf Tuli and I’m excited as always to have the opportunity to fill in for David Lock on Locked on Jazz As you guys may know by now I’m a lifelong Jazz credentialed NBA draft analyst for locked on NBA big board attendee of the 2023 and 2024 NBA draft combine Uh Utah Jazz broadcast assistant statistitian the past four seasons lover of college hoops So I’ve seen all these guys we’re going to talk about throughout the next couple weeks And don’t expect all the geeky numbers of usual that you’re accustomed to to be gone But I’ll bring a unique perspective as the co college hoops expert draft analyst and Jazz employee and most importantly diehard fan to make you guys as knowledgeable about your Utah Jazz as possible before the draft Thanks for making Locked on Jazz your first listen each and every day Remember Locked on Jazz is free and available on all platforms including YouTube at Locked on Jazz where the best way to help us grow is to comment anything below Today’s question is who do you prefer between Jeremiah Fears and VJ Edgecomb i’m going to tell you why I don’t love the idea of picking Jere uh picking VJ Edgecom at five And I’m not all the way there I’m picking Fears at five either but I’ll give you the reasons why it is a palatable pick for fears for me as opposed to Edgecom where I would be frustrated Today’s episode is brought to you by Game Time Download the Game Time app create an account and use code locked on NBA for $20 off your first purchase So today I’m going to tell you about my concerns with VJ Edgecom that make me against picking him at five Break down his game in depth break down the electrifying but erratic game of Jeremiah fears while still acknowledging concern with that pick and then compare the two in general not just about the Jazz but in general as prospects and why regardless of being a Jazz fan or wanting this pick for the Jazz or not why I lean Jeremiah Fears over VJ Edgecom despite consensus saying VJ Edgecom is better so let’s dive right in so VJ Edgecom for those who don’t know is a 6’4 barefoot and everyone’s making a big deal about this 6’4 so basic basically 6’5 with shoes on guard from Baylor He’s from the Bahamas and the reason he has so much buzz uh coming into the season and throughout the season was he was excellent on the Bahama national team with Buddy Heel and Eric Gordon He stood out as one of their best players and that’s impressive Don’t get me wrong He’s a nearly 20 years old Scored 15 points per game Shot 34% from three Uh averaged 5.6 rebounds which is very impressive as a two guard Shot 78% from the free throw line And his numbers got better in conference play as opposed to dipping conference play Um but I think part of that has to do with he did not play well in non-conference and and that does bother me So VJ Edgecom why do most people have him top five and maybe even most people have him top four on mock drafts Uh it’s because he’s a top five percentile athlete in the NBA the moment he steps foot in the NBA And that that’s great don’t get me wrong but I do think he’s vastly overrated on the defensive side like athleticism is not a it is a prerequisite for being good defensively but if you’re a good athlete it doesn’t mean you’re instantaneously an excellent defender And I think that is uh a misnomer that is being said about VJ Edgecom Um and then you know all those players in that ilk and we’ll talk about some of those guys coming up But as ever for a player in his ilk shooting is going to be the most important swing skill Don’t get me wrong like the athleticism is impressive especially if you can get to the rim a lot but shooting is going to to make or break how well he plays whether he’s the star or he’s a role player Uh I mentioned he had a shaky start for the season He really struggled in non-conference play And what bothered me tremendously is he was a chameleon A five-star being a chameleon is not a good thing Being a chameleon fitting in in a lot of situations can be good but not in this situation Uh I also would like to tell you that his numbers in conference play were very good and it made me do a 360 or 180 because I was all the way out and now I can at least pallet the idea It’s still not my favorite But since New Year his numbers rebounded dramatically His three-point shooting his efficiency his free throw shooting and his standstill shooting convinced me Do I think he’s got more potential as a shooter off the bounce that’s where I have hesitation But I do think he’s a standstill solid shooter He’s a very good athlete Gets the rim a lot But I think the true ceiling for VJ Edgecomb’s game will be determined by what he can do with his shot on the move or off of the dribble Uh off of the dribble and then what he can do off the ball if his shot is not particularly great how well does he create attacking closeouts of players that are closer to him athletically in the NBA than what they were in college So that’s why VJ Edgecom terrifies me for the Utah Jazz because he does not do anything as the primary operator His rim attacks were out of attacking closeouts or designed actions getting through him You watched him play for those of you who are later tuning into the college basketball season you watched him play Gonzaga at the very start of the season and you were like “Well what did he do?” Oh yeah He dunked on Mark Fuse kid a walk-on a six-foot kid who who doesn’t play And everyone said “Oh VJO tremendous athletes.” But like you watched the game and he was a non-factor In fact he was bad Then you watched him uh against a guy in Carter Bryan Arizona He got to rim time He shot 14 free throws and you say “Wow that’s that’s tremendous because free throws is a prerequisite to being a really good scoreer.” But I still didn’t see separation creation And then you get to the March Madness crowd and they played Mississippi State VJ Edgecomb was solid but when he scored it was out of design plays that they throw it to the high post and they ran a scissor action and pitched it off to VJ Edgecom down going downhill and that’s where he was successful and put the game on ice at different times and even then was a little bit questionable So the biggest weapon to me and why he terrifies me is because I believe in for the Utah Jazz picking top five the Jazz should be looking for a franchise altering talent I say that all the time but I do not see franchise altering talent as someone who’s not a primary operator on his collegiate team Rob Wright was the best at getting to the rim on Baylor’s team He was the guy with the ball in his hands Jeremy Roach at times had the ball And that’s not all VJ Edge’s fault He played with other good players But I I just don’t see a star in the making of when you’re a star in college basketball or you should be a star in college basketball you typically stand out more than he did And to me the biggest weapon for guards is off the dribble shooting And he did so little of it He he was very infrequently someone who created his own shot using the dribble whether it was off of screens or stopping and popping using the threat of his acceleration and and leaping ability to go to the rim to stop on a dime and shoot Like that’s what Donovan Mitchell was so spectacular at for the Utah Jazz And I’m not comparing the two Uh but Donovan Mitchell was known as a tremendous athlete first and foremost but became a deadly off the dribble shooter and that’s what’s made him so good for his entire NBA career So while his shot improved drastically I don’t see a star I see a role player with flaws that the best role players do not have He’s not big enough to guard tons of positions He can like people are thrilled he’s 6’4 but 6’4 uh without shoes for a two guard is undersized and he’s not a point guard So I don’t see the defensive versatility that some people say he has His wingspan’s longer than his than his height but it’s not longer by a ton like there there are limiting factors defensively and then there’s the expectation he’s a fantastic defender but honestly this is going to be a hot take and I know this gonna get clipped and aggregated what say what you want but if you watch Khan Caniple defend and you watch VJ Edge come defend and you and you and you say I’m not going to see who’s the better athlete and project it for you just watch them defend collegiate basketball players Khan Kipple was a better defender and I don’t think it was particularly close like he stayed in front of players better than VJ Edgecom does he doesn’t have blocks and he doesn’t rebound at the same rate He’s not as good a jumper don’t get me wrong and he’s not gonna jump passing lines But in terms of sliding his feet and staying in front of the other guy Coniple is better than VJ Edgecom but VJ Edgecom is considered a great defender by all draft uh reports So clip that up however you’d like I don’t think he’s a star defensively I think he’s got traits that can make him solid defensively relatively quickly in his career Uh he and then for statistics if you don’t want my word for it but you guys are statistically inclined he was 21st percentile as an off the dribble shooter making just 25% of shots uh when putting the ball on the deck And that that is regardless of length of shots So that could be threes that could be a mid-range jump shot but just 25% So not very good and 21st percentile compared to all college players not just draft prospects And then his average guard he was an average guarded catch andoot shooter very good catch and shoot as an open shooter He’s 82nd percentile So that’s where I tell you I think I am confident that he can be a knockdown shooter and then use that uh knockdown shooting ability to go downhill But once again that to me means he’s off the ball So overall a solid shooter but a he’s a solid shooter as a beneficiary not as the creator So at the rim here’s my biggest concern His athleticism is his greatest strength And don’t get me wrong that is a real deal trait But he he is not someone who creates it all for himself We just established that his isolation numbers were okay They they were okay and considered average by Synergy Um and then at the rim despite being the fantastic athlete that we know he is he’s a 30 36th percentile finisher at the rim and only 15th percentile on layups So if you take out dunks which are obviously fantastic he’s only 15th percentile on layups as compared to college basketball players So he’s neither a good stop and pop shooter neither a good off the dribble three-point shooter nor a good finisher at the rim So I just don’t see the isolation creation being that good To me that’s not a primary guy I don’t think it ever will be To me that’s a flawed role player with great traits that if he’s on the right system can be a defensive hound in terms of guarding guards not the the versatile defender that I see him as being compared to and people have likened him to Drew Holiday Victor Oladipo Dwayne Wade a little bit to Don Mitchell but those first three I mentioned are tremendous defenders because they’re longer than he is and they’re built stronger Uh I think he’s got the wiry strength and that’s great but those guys Drew Holidayiday was an amazing defender since the age of four Like he he was an amazing defender at UCLA Olad Depot was an amazing defender at Indiana came into the NBA Dwayne Wade was one of the best guard defenders ever So I think those are comparisons even offensively I think are too lofty but defensively I think that’s crazy And while while Donovan’s a little bit different uh Donovan’s explosive and he didn’t have a great handle but his handle was better in college than VJ Edgecoms is And Donovan’s handle got way better as he and he had more game than he was able to display with uh with Rick Patino and Louisville whereas VJ had tons of opportunities to attack but he blended in from the start of the season That always has irked me So I’ll fully admit I I’ve never been on the VJ train I tried to convince myself and I thought during Big 12 play he did a good job So I’m not holding that against him but I just don’t see the star And if I’m the Utah Jazz I’m trying to draft a star I’m not trying to draft a guy I see as a potential role player So coming up next we’re going to do a deep dive into the game of Jeremiah Fears and we’ll also compare him to VJ Edgecom coming up So all that and more straight ahead on Locked on Jazz There’s nothing like stepping into your own outdoor space and feeling like you escaped into a personal oasis If you’re wanting to update your patio this season Wayfair has made it so easy to turn into a space that feels like yours 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you say that Locked OnJazz sent you in Welcome back I love draft season guys And I love it for the Utah Jazz but I love it in general And this is the most interesting part of the draft psychology and evaluation to me because up until recently everyone and I mean everyone had VJ Edgecom ahead of Jeremiah Fierce Jeremiah Fierce uh Raphael Barlo who we’ll talk about is he’s been on Locked on Jazz James Barlo his brother and I we were kind of the highest trio on Jeremiah Fierce But recently Jeremiah Fierce has taken on some buzz and the Nets are really tied down They really want him eight but they may have to trade up to get him I saw rumors that he won’t fall outside the top five which obviously would impact the Utah Jazz because maybe they’d be taking him at five So let’s talk about Jeremiah Fears and why I think it’s strange that Edgecom has been seen as such a vastly superior prospect much of this season despite the numbers and the usage indicating that Fiars would be better So this is where the psychology is interesting to me because maybe he’s safer but I don’t think he’s kite got the potential even though everyone else says VJ Edgecom’s got a high ceiling So let’s get into this They were seated similarly in March Madness Baylor and Oklahoma And one was a starfish team with far less talent around him and was that was the only reason they made the tournament That’s VJ That’s Jeremiah Fierce He scored more points had more assists but was seen as less capable of becoming a star Um and I think he has better vision and he was a far better attacker defenses but he was seen as less capable of being a star at the next level I would argue the reason that people thought that is because he’s smaller But I would also then argue he’s bigger at his size than VJ Edgecomb is for his size at his position Jeremiah Fear is a point guard VJ Edgecom is a two guard One of them is 62 and 3/4 and he’s a point guard and the other one’s 6’4 as a two guard Like I I think Fierce is bigger compared to his position And he’s not quite the athlete that Edgecom is but he uses his athleticism to be a better downhill attacker and has better vision to be a passer So with that said Jeremiah Fears was awesome He’s one of my favorite watches Uh he had games of 30 against Michigan including a gamewinner They had big wins against Michigan Arizona Uh tons of games that really mattered to get them into the tournament when it really mattered They needed to win a few games He had 29 and then 28 in the SEC tournament to get into the tournament then scored 20 and carried a very inefficient team in Oklahoma to a tight game against the defending champs Yukon He averaged 17.1 points per game shot 28% from three That’s where the concern is had 4.1 assists and 4.1 rebounds had plenty of turnovers He shot 85% of the line That may dispel the notion of oh he can’t shoot because many people say that uh free throw shooting matters than three more than three-point shooting It’s a better indicator of touch And in this case I actually agree Uh my biggest belief is that usage rate in terms of volume shooting from three is the is the most important And this supports that notion Fears had the highest usage rate of any freshman in the nation That’s higher than that of Trey Johnson and we talked about having very little help And then there are a few things that come with the territory For starters he turns the ball over incessantly Like he he has way too many turnovers But while he still could be an effective playmaker he often finds openings for his teammates as a byproduct of his skills getting through him So think of John Morant John Morant’s super quick and he can hang in the air and create things out of nothing And sometimes it’s not a predetermined read or some processing marvel It’s that he’s so athletic his traits get other people open So make it that what you will Fears does it to a lesser degree than Morant but that’s the example I’ll give you Uh now while he creates advantages he also confidently takes deep NBA threes and he can do pull-up jump shots from mid-range from deep Uh and his accuracy is streaky at best but pretty poor from that 28% But what I’ll tell you is he gets to the paint with ease draws fouls at an absurdly high level for someone of his size and age He could have been a high school senior this year and instead played college basketball and scored 17 points per game on a team that was in the best uh conference in history and made it to the tournament Uh he actually if you want some real numbers he got to the free throw line at a higher rate than John Moran or Damen Lillard did in their final college season Damen Lillard was 22 in his final season Jaw was 20 So here’s a quote that I found in in reading up on fears and I wanted to kind of approach it differently and then I’ll get into my take Here’s a quote from a a source that I don’t know how high they are in fears In fact it’s actually ranked lower than Edgecom by a substantial margin but I thought this ma mattered in terms of giving you a fair evaluation So the quote is when the controlled handle couples with the speed as he turns the corner when the pull-up game is aligned just so he has the look of a top five prospect with clear pathways to stardom With refinement of his jumper and some time spent building his core and lower body strength Fierce is the makings of a potent lead guard without them fears as glaringly obvious gifts could get obscured at the next level And that is perfectly spot on with how I feel I think Jeremiah Fears has top five upside in this class I said that a long time ago that if you made me rank out one through five who I think are the most likely players to become all-stars Fierce is easily in my top five I’ve said that since about November when he hit the game winner against Michigan But I have concern about his size I know I said that you know you shouldn’t be concerned because it’s any no different than Edgecomb but that’s because I still have concerns about Edgecomb in terms of his size and I believe having watched the Jazz with Mike Connley and Donovan Mitchell you need a big guard You need a big guard and fears if he can’t shoot The Jazz have Isaiah Collier I don’t believe in fit I’m the best player available over fit every single time But you know you could be getting some redundancy and you run into the similar issues if he can’t shoot and he’s a creator who is an offensive scoreer Like Collier at least is a more natural creator than fears years and more natural score But that’s where the the drawback is If you look at VJ Edgecom you don’t see that upside based on what the stats tell you nor what the tape tells you You see it just on athletic appeal But the athletic appeal stands out for Fears 2 So now let’s get back to some numbers Fears the 66th percentile catch and shoot guy And while that’s not fantastic that’s better than what VJ Edgecom was He’s a 70th percentile isolation guy VJ was 40th percentile And this VJ Edgecom’s team was better than Fierces Uh dribble jumper was considered average and his runner was excellent And when he shoots at the rim he was slight he wasn’t particularly great because he needs to get stronger but he was ahead of VJ Edgecom at the rim despite a higher volume far more difficulty when going to the rim and not those obvious athletic traits So Jeremiah Fears to me has more upside But I do wonder because if he’s in the NBA and you want him to do his thing I his role definition is he’s got to have the ball in his hands Edgecom at least there’s an offball uh role for him that I think he can thrive in It just doesn’t warrant top five pick to me So we’re going to discuss that and a little bit more We know the gains of VJ Edgecom and Jeremiah Fears now So I’ll tell you while both scare me to a degree why I’d be willing to take the risk on Fears more easily than Edgecomb And I’ve I’ve alluded to it already but I got that and and a little bit more ahead on Locked on Jazz There’s nothing like the NBA playoffs The intensity the buzzer beaters the fans losing their minds It’s the kind of atmosphere you must experience live And man do I miss the Jazz playoff games I was lucky enough to go to a lot of them as kids I worked a couple in the most recent playoff run the Jazz had And like every year this year’s matchups have already delivered If you want in game time makes it fast and easy to get seats even for the biggest playoff game Prices on the app actually drop closer to tip off And with killer last minute deals panoramic seat views and no surprise fees game time is a total game changer I love that I can see my seat before I view it and there’s no surprises And I can vouch for that because I went to the US Open and I did not want to have my view obscured of the great tennis uh with a lamp or some a post in my way Instead I saw exactly what I’d be seeing on Arthur Ash Stadium and and I made sure on Louisie Armstrong to do the exact same The big stadiums 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draft and a lot of rumors were floating about and then I saw something that Andy Larson from the Salt Lake Tribune had tweeted out and it was he was in a conversation with another fan and his quote said so his quote said so to me you’re looking for a helpful building block in this draft if you’re the Utah Jazz for the team you want to uh excuse me let me restart that so he says so to me you’re looking for the helpful building blocks in this draft if you’re the Jazz for the team you want to become then take VJ Edgecom So his his point would then be that you you’d like if you’re trying to pick a role player Edgecomb is far more likely to be a role player that excels in a role than a guy like Jeremiah Fears And it wasn’t differentiating between the two And I’m trying to iron down a date with Andy Larson to discuss this about Edgecomb versus Trey Johnson versus Fierce versus Ace Bailey and all of those things But his point is essentially VJ Edgecomb has traits that could make him a role player So if you’re trying to get a piece but not the dude then I’m okay with the logic because if you’re drafting a guy who can be a third option maybe play perimeter defense to end time and what you need is uh is a guy who can supplement the guy then that’s fine But the Jazz don’t have the guy They don’t already The Jazz have already said they’re not tanking While I still think that means we’re going to draft in the top eight next year because I think it would be lunacy to not draft in the top eight next year when you would give that pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder That still to me means the Jazz should draft an advantage creator not a beneficiary of those who have created an advantage And to me Jeremiah Fierce can create that advantage He can get downhill and create for others And he can score for himself far more easily than what VJ Edgecom has been able to display I mentioned it at the out out of that last one I think F fears if you were to rank upside just say what is their top end outcome I I see fears as a top five upside guy in this class My fear for fears is he has to be a star Meaning for him to do what he does well and the traits that stand out saying that he could be a top five guy in the class would would indicate that he needs the ball in his hands and he needs the ball in his hands early and often The Jazz have guys that already want the ball in their hands So if you have one of those guys already then how how do you justify saying you know what we’re going to put the ball in this guy’s hands and if he struggles early what happens with Collier happens with Keonte George who each have had moments of brilliance early in their careers like Keonte as a rookie scored 16 points per game yet he was critical everyone was critical of him in the offseason because you know what he’s not a natural point guard and it turns out you’re right he wasn’t and Danny Angel asked was is Ke the point guard of the future no he he’s not but does he factor into the future yes that means he was good Collier I don’t know if he’s the point guard of the future and if you were to draft fears you’d probably be thinking not and you’d be hoping Fears would be but Fears would have to be a star for those trades to take over his ability to be dynamic get downhill have the guile he has the burst he has and the creation ability that are based on natural traits of being able to explode to the rim and finish with either hand and have the confidence the hutzbah to knock down shots in big moments hit that gamewinner against Michigan in the Bahamas to score 30 points when the team needs it to win games That is what you need from Fierce But he doesn’t necessarily come with a high floor I think Edgecomb the more I’ve evaluated him I think he’s got a higher floor And so teams that already have their guy should be looking for VJ Edgecom not for a team like the Jazz where they don’t have their guy Edgecom could go three to Philly for all I know And it makes a little more sense to me or or in the sense of Charlotte where he’s most frequently tied It makes some sense even though I’m lower on him and I would I don’t believe in fit that much I believe in best player available It makes significantly more sense to me for VJ Edgecom to go to one of those teams than the Utah Jazz because unless you believe he can be a star and his creation can really improve then you’re drafting a third or fourth option at pick five And I I don’t believe in that especially in a draft I believe has a couple all-stars in it Uh I thought of a comparison I hadn’t really prepared this but I thought of a comparison as I was talking about the game of Jeremiah Fears in terms of the burst and his ability to go downhill And this guy played briefly for the Jazz but his best stint was not with the Jazz but he’s quick as a cat gets to the rim was a competent shooter but no one you’d ever be like “Oh my gosh we got to run him off the three-point line.” And I thought he was a competent passer a a clever player who is best serve as a third or fourth option on teams but at times was the star and that was Devin Harris Devin Harris to me is a mid-level outcome for what Jeremiah Fierce is I think Fierce has a far better chance of becoming an all-star uh than uh and and be a better player than that than than what I’d indicate by saying that’s a top- end outcome But Deon Harris was a good basketball player When he was with the Mavericks early in his career he was using speed to create advantages Find Dirk Noitzky find Josh Howard use his speed to individually create When he played with the Deets before being traded to the Jazz he was able to be a a primary option and score the basketball I see something similar for Fears but that’s not a player you would take in the top five No offense to Devin Harris you don’t take that You try to take someone with Devin Harris plus some more and that’s what you hope fierce can be As opposed to VJ Edgecom he’s compared most frequently to the Victor Oladipos of the world I think it’s more likely he’s going to be a defensively oriented 3 and D who becomes an average NBA shooter and is able to put pressure on the rim in transition but maybe not as well uh in a half court setting I don’t think you’ll ever see him have a change of pace crossover and burst and be the top guy that you you expect Cuz even Victor Oladipo who had one all-star season I think had more uh not burst but more change of pace more suddenness and more uh intangible of how to play off the ball Victor Deepipo was a tremendous cutter He knew where he to go When he was at Indiana he played on a good team and he found a way to use his physical strength and athleticism to impact the game before his skills caught up his skills got up and got better in the NBA and he became a better shooter I think that’s the best case scenario And if you were to ask me Olad Depot in a reddraft despite his class actually being one of the more poor drafts most classes he doesn’t end up top five And that’s why I’ I’d be fearful of taking either of these players but more fearful of taking Edgecom because I I I don’t see the upside that many people see And I very well could be wrong Uh there’s tons of people I respect that rank VJ Edgecom in the top three top four But I at five it’s a little rich for my blood I’m hoping VJ Edgecom gets drafted by Charlotte or Philly as opposed to by the Utah Jazz because if he goes above the Jazz and the Jazz stand pad at five that means an Ace Bailey or a Trey Johnson falls Fears to me has more upside I still am fearful of that pick because you’re drafting a player that you pretty much are banking on to be a star and I think there’s less room for uh for margin there So for different reasons I’m scared of both these guys I I really hope the Jazz find their way to VJ away from VJ Edgecom or fears and find their way to Trey Johnson or Ace Bailey I’m just putting my cards on the table early Those are the guys that I I want the Jazz to find I don’t know if it’s worthwhile to trade up That’s a question that I’m going to answer more Uh because you you trade up and what if you could get that guy at five it’s a pricey it’s a pricey thing And I also think teams are going to be less willing to trade up with a team at five Let’s say it’s the Jazz trying to get to three I think Philly is going to want to an established NBA basketball player So that means it would be Lowry as opposed to trading that the pick up So I think it’s more likely that teams that are not in the lottery make a trade with Philly than the teams in the lottery But we’re going to talk about that as a possibility and a lot of more fun stuff coming up this week We got Tony Jones and Andy Larson next week And it’s a pleasure as always speaking with you about the draft Let me know what you guys think Am I being too critical of EJ Edgecom or have I opened your eyes to some fears that you deem to be fair so thank you guys for making locks on Jazz your first listen today And for your second check out Locked on NBA Big Board NBA draft expert Rafael Barlo reacts to every workout interview and rumor leading up to the draft So find Locked on NBA Big Board on your YouTube or wherever you listen to your podcast and check that out And stay with us on Locked on Jazz and we’ll have some more fun draft conversations coming up throughout the week

Is Jeremiah Fears the franchise-altering talent the Utah Jazz need? Leif Thulin, filling in for David Locke, breaks down the potential top-5 draft pick’s game and compares him to VJ Edgecombe. Thulin analyzes Fears’ high usage rate, free throw prowess, and ability to create shots, drawing parallels to NBA stars like Ja Morant and Damian Lillard. He also dissects Edgecombe’s strengths and weaknesses, questioning his fit with the Jazz’s current roster. Dive into the psychology of draft evaluations and explore how Fears and Edgecombe could impact Utah’s future alongside Lauri Markkanen, Keyonte George, and Walker Kessler. Tune in for expert insights on the Jazz’s draft strategy and how these prospects could shape the team’s trajectory.

0:00 Intro: Why not draft VJ Edgecombe or Jeremiah Fears?

5:07 VJ Edgecombe’s game: Athleticism vs. creation ability

10:43 Jeremiah Fears: High usage rate freshman

16:50 Fears’ strengths: Getting to paint, drawing fouls

23:02 Jazz draft strategy: Role player vs. star potential

29:38 Conclusion: Hopes for Jazz draft picks

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Utah Jazz draft, VJ Edgecombe, Jeremiah Fears, NBA prospects, college basketball, draft analysis, player comparison, athletic ability, shooting skills, defensive potential, NBA Draft Combine, Oklahoma basketball, Baylor basketball, David Locke, Locked On Jazz, Utah Jazz podcast, Utah Jazz news, draft strategy, player evaluation, upside potential, NBA scouting, basketball statistics, draft rumors, player development, team fit, draft projections

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